Then a young woman stepped from the crowd.
Daniel looked at her.
And for several seconds, he forgot about the weapons pointed in his direction.
She wore a dark blue dress beneath a leather vest. Her long black hair was braided over one shoulder, and a turquoise pendant rested against her throat.
But it wasn't her appearance that caught his attention.
It was her expression.
She wasn't frightened.
She wasn't angry.
She was studying him.
As if she had been expecting him.
The old warrior turned toward her.
"Selene."
The young woman did not answer.
Her eyes remained on Daniel.
Then, unexpectedly, she walked into the center of the gathering.
The surrounding crowd became completely silent.
Daniel frowned.
He looked around.
Nobody seemed to understand what she was doing.
The woman stopped several feet away.
Then she pointed directly at him.
"I choose him."
Daniel stared at her.
"I'm sorry?"
A murmur swept through the settlement.
The older warrior closed his eyes for a moment.
Then he opened them.
"Selene," he said carefully, "are you certain?"
She nodded.
"Yes."
Daniel looked from her to the old warrior.
"I think you've mistaken me for somebody else."
A few people laughed.
Selene didn't.
She simply walked closer.
"No."
Her voice was calm.
"I have not."
Daniel swallowed.
"I came here because my horse ran away."
"I know."
"You know?"
She smiled faintly.
"I saw him this morning."
Daniel looked over his shoulder.
"Where?"
She pointed toward a group of horses near the far end of the settlement.
There was the bay.
Alive.
Apparently perfectly happy.
Daniel sighed with relief.
Then he noticed something.
There was a leather pouch tied beneath the horse's saddle.
He had never seen it before.
His relief vanished.
He walked toward the horse.
The older warrior followed.
Daniel untied the pouch.
It was heavier than it looked.
Inside was a folded piece of parchment.
Daniel opened it.
A map.
His map.
Or rather, a map of his ranch.
He recognized the river.
The northern ridge.
The old mining road.
The cabin where he lived.
And then he saw the red line.
It began at his property.
It crossed the mountains.
And ended here.
In this hidden valley.
Daniel looked up.
"Who made this?"
The old warrior's face had become grim.
"My name is Chief Ashen Bear."
He pointed at the parchment.
"And that mark at the bottom?"
Daniel looked.
A black circle surrounded by three thin lines.
He had seen it before.
Not on a map.
On a dead man's saddle.
Two months earlier.
Daniel's younger cousin had been killed while transporting cattle.
The official story said bandits.
Daniel had never believed it.
Now he knew why.
Someone had been watching his ranch.
Someone had been watching this valley.
And somehow, his runaway horse had been used to bring him here.
Selene stepped closer.
"That map was not meant to be found."
Daniel folded it slowly.
"Then why was it put on my horse?"
Ashen Bear looked toward the cliffs.
"Because whoever made it wants you to be blamed."
Daniel felt cold despite the desert heat.
"For what?"
The chief answered quietly.
"For the destruction of my people."